


Atone: A Loki's Adventure

by Minga_Pace



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avenger Loki (Marvel), But also, Dom Loki (Marvel), Dorks in Love, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Hate Sex, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki (Marvel) Feels, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki is a SWITCH, Love/Hate, Lovers to Friends, Mutant Reader, Nobody is Dead, Parent Tony Stark, Reader-Insert, Sex Is Not The Enemy, Slow Romance, Strong Female Characters, Sub Loki (Marvel), Thor is a Good Bro (Marvel), War, for now, in this order, like the reader, supernova powers, yeah - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:14:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29181627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minga_Pace/pseuds/Minga_Pace
Summary: Six years have passed since the invasion of New York. The population, even after suffering serious losses, continues with their lives setting aside but not forgetting the incident and the person responsible.You, who survived an explosion thanks to the medical and technical intervention of the Avengers and Anthony Stark, finds yourself part of the superhero circle due to your anomalous physical strength acquired by a strange source of energy trapped inside you.Thor, after confronting Hela and provoking Ragnarok, brings the rest of Asgard to earth. More precisely, in Norway.However, Thor also brings with him one of the former calamities that have struck the Earth.Loki will have to make amends for his sins, but some will be harder to convince than others.
Relationships: Loki (Marvel)/Original Female Character(s), Loki (Marvel)/Reader
Kudos: 26





	1. Rancor

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, everyone. This is my first fiction in the Marvel Universe. I hope to be able to update with precise deadlines even if, already having difficulties with the language, I cannot guarantee anything.  
> If you find this story worth reading, please also leave a comment.  
> I also accept constructive comments for language and writing.  
> Thank you 🤓

* * *

_There was a lot of dust in that room. The smoke began to fill the lungs, making it difficult to even breathe as well as obstructing vision. A scratched hand appeared in front of your field of vision, leaving you speechless._

_Dust obstructed most of the scene, but a woman's indistinct body under a huge boulder would never have been more vivid than that in your mind. She seemed to be shouting something at you, her mouth covered in clots of blood and her lips cracked and wrinkled with dehydration._

_You felt those unforgettable tears rise in your eyes again as you freed your mangled leg under an overturned desk collapsed on it._

_You crawled for an inch or two, whimpering and gritting your teeth hard from the effort you were making. When you inadvertently took a long breath, the smoke entered your throat, reaching your lungs and stopping your breathing._

_You coughed and reached out to the woman who was desperately asking for help. You felt your whole being starting to burn from inside, you saw your vision begin to blur again and your limbs abandon you._

_Something beside you shone with a blinding light and a deep blue as your fingers reached the woman's._

_ Then a dazzling explosion. _

**💥**

After the tremendous struggle in the Avengers something seemed to have broken in the daily life of Earth's saviors.

Stark, who had signed the Sokovia Accords, had set the stage for the growth of the new Avengers. However, only James Rhodes, Aka War Machine, and you, a young recruit, had remained settled there, continuing with your duties.

The tight surveillance of the world powers put a strain on your freedom of movement, ensuring that there were no other enemies of the system besides Steve Rogers' team.

You were now a superhuman member of the Avengers, but you had no knowledge of any conflicts after the Battle of Ultron that you helped foil along with the other heroes. You were almost relieved that you weren't involved when James revealed that the members had chosen a side to stand on during the fight.

You could never have taken sides.

You owed your own life to Stark, for saving you with his technology and machinations from New York, but you also owed a lot to Rogers for personally assisting you in mutating and managing powers. In fact, you also had close ties with the new Avengers team so it wasn't easy to tell if you would ever be able to hurt any of them.

So you stayed on the sidelines, with your already numerous problems, trying to face the bigger threshold: your skills.

You entered the conference room, carrying a cappuccino with a lot of cream and while you were sipping it, you couldn't help but miss a smile when you spotted War Machine standing studying virtual printouts on the wall.

"Good morning." you greeted, making him turn slightly to find you there in the middle of the room.

"Morning." He replied, enlarging the Steve Rogers photo on the screen.

You slowly approached and after taking a long look at a small photo below that portrayed the Captain in some city in the world, you turned your dark eyes on the rigid figure of your roommate. His face was frowning even though a trace of anxiety and worry had taken possession of his features. The man's dark complexion seemed to have become even slightly more worn, as if it were slowly wearing out from the inside.

"Are you all right, James?" You asked after studying it sufficiently. The cappuccino in your hand began to burn on the skin of your fingers, so you placed it on the table behind you.

"They were spotted a few days ago but managed to lose their tracks again." He communicated to you, as if making you participate could solve something. But Rhodey felt the urgent need to confide his perennial anxiety to someone.

You, for your part, seemed amused by the situation.

"We are talking about the Avengers. They won't get caught so easily." You observed, bringing your free hand down to open another card which portrayed Wanda Maximoff together with an unrecognizable Vision.

You found a lot of affinity with them, considering how little you knew about your condition and how far you had to travel to hone your powers. Not seeing Vision suddenly cross walls or Wanda making things float to avoid having to get up from the sofa made the environment colder than you ever expected. 

"Are you worried?" You asked when Rhodes seemed to contemplate the image more than necessary. 

"I just think this universe should stop blaming the Earth." You laughed at your companion's attempt, letting the room pressure fade away. 

“How many planets will there be? I bet not half are targeted that much." He added as he blasted the contents of the file from the tabloid to the wall and finally turned to face you. 

James spotted the cappuccino lying on the surface of the table and silently reached for it when it quickly slipped to the other end. With an arched brow, he returned his gaze to you sporting a sly smile. 

"If you want something, there's the machine over there." You advised him as you quickly passed the cabinet to go back to catch what belonged to you. Before James could answer you or comment on what had happened, the sensor on the table began to ring and flash intermittently, a clear sign of a council call. 

The man first looked at you, then accepted the call. Suddenly, in the vacant seats around the table, five US Army powers materialized as the secretary general stretched out before you in the semi-transparent figure of the video media player. 

You could no longer tolerate Thaddeus Ross for one simple reason: it was one of the causes of the destruction of the Avengers. You frowned at him as the secretary addressed James practically, almost not noticing your presence in the room. 

"Captain Rhodes, an emergency has arisen that needs immediate intervention. Stark is already heading there, the court also requires the presence of War Machine and… Nova."

When he said your hero name, his gaze wandered from your colleague to you, recognizing you for the first time as a member of the discussion. You knew very well how little the advice was of your presence in the field, yet the matter had to be serious if they were directly asking for help. 

"What is the emergency?" James asked before you could, reactivating the attention on himself. 

"Thor. He appears to have returned from Asgard. He has settled in Norway, on the Tonsberg coast." Ross communicated, carrying a European map in the middle of their distance. There, on the area just mentioned, a red dot shone, indicating it precisely. 

"Wait, _settled_ , Mr. Secretary?" You asked confusedly, looking away from the paper to rest it again on the stern figure of the superior. How long had it been since Thor's landing on Earth? Why hadn't the system and the government communicated anything to you?

He nodded, passing the signal on James' bracelet, so that the coordinates were recorded in the database. 

"Just like I said, Miss Nova. Make sure that, as long as he occupies the Earth, he signs and complies with the Sokovia Accords." Then he frowned at you, a sarcastic smile on his thin lips furrowed with stiff gray mustaches. "You haven't been able to track down the offenders yet, we don't want even a God to join the party." He grabbed some loose files on the virtual table top and arranged them with a couple of neat moves. 

"I'm counting on you, Rhodes." With those words, the board disappeared again sucked into the multimedia sphere in the center of the table and the room fell into deafening silence.

🗡

You both knew that convincing Thor to accept the pacts established with the government would be no small feat, but under the direct orders of the council you couldn't help but try. 

However, if Stark had been warned long before you, you might have run into a few snags. The two were not exactly on the same wavelength. 

The Quinjet landed with a deafening noise as Rhodes closed himself inside his War Machine armor. 

"Here we are, sir." announced the pilot, while he let the door at the bottom open, allowing the hero to make his descent. 

You got up in turn, approaching your arsenal secured to the metal wall of the plane and grabbed the two black gold-veined guns designed by Tony Stark himself. At that point they were the only weapons that after 6 years you had managed to domesticate well. 

War Machine came up behind you and closed his mask, changing the man's warm voice into the cold one of the machine. 

"Thor won't initiate fights, I'm sure." It seemed as if he wanted to reassure himself plus the armed you in front of him. 

As the jet doors hit the ground, something quickly whizzed through the middle and hit you by surprise. You quickly descended into the outside air, accompanied by a gliding James, circling around to return to spot that shapeless mass that had just passed dangerously in front of the plane. 

Follow the trajectory with your gaze until you spotted the distinct figure of Tony Stark's armor suspended in midair, laser palms pointed at an inaccurate point further down.

You tried to peer from there as best you could and in the middle of a pile of debris stood, a short light blond hair. The size of the God of Thunder was unmistakable. He seemed to have just crashed to the ground, yet the reactivity of getting to his feet and swooping up with a leap towards Iron Man was immediate. 

When a fist charged with electric shocks crashed against Tony's mask, the man rushed down but recovered at the last just before crashing. Worried, you put your hand close to your earphone and activated the connection.

"Stark, what the hell is going on?" You asked, shocked by the future before your eyes. Had Thor turned down the offer like Steve did?

"Hey, Outburst, do you think you can take Point Break out of action for a couple of seconds?" He asked for the robotic voice in your ears making you frown in discomfort at the nickname assigned to you.

You looked up to find Thor too close to Stark forcing him down holding him by a metal foot.

“Not at this distance, Mr. Stark. I'm sorry ... " You felt extremely uncomfortable not being able to help your guardian. Despite the many demanding workouts your anxiety was still a big problem in long-distance battles. You could have expanded the range too far and hit him too.

"Rhodey, let's help him!" You yelled at War Machine who seemed distracted by something in front of him. Without waiting for his response, you grabbed one of the weapons secured to your life as you quickly advanced to the heart of the fight.

Your mind suddenly freed itself from the surrounding noises, as if you had just pressed the off button in your senses, and you held out one of the guns in front of you. The long blanket of grass helps you not even think about where to put your feet so that your concentration was focused only on the tip of the gun barrel.

The unmistakable heat ignited like a flame from your chest but, like a fluid, it slowly passed to both arms, sliding from you as if it were blood in your veins. When you finally got to an adequate distance, you abruptly stopped sliding your combat boots on the grass, soiling yourself with mud.

Thor would never have been badly injured by your shockwave shaped and regulated by Stark's guns so there was nothing to be afraid of.

You pointed, keeping both eyes straight in front of you, the gun towards the God and when enough energy was compressed inside the weapon, you let go of the reins that held that force, as if you had just held your breath and then released it.

However, something collided violently against your arm and your entire right side, causing you to fly and roll on the soft ground. With your face pressed against the wet grass, the sounds slowly returned to take hold of your hearing along with an austere but feminine voice.

"I can't let you do it."

Confused by the speed of events, you turned your head towards the woman who stretched out in all her glory in front of you as you settled down on all fours and used an amount of force to get back to your feet without staggering. You didn't want to admit it but the force with which she had overwhelmed you could be commensurate with that of a bus. Or maybe two.

She too was locked in a marble-colored armor that suited her clearly trained olive physique and looked far more resilient than your suit. Your eyes inevitably fell on the glittering blade closed in her fist. If she'd hit you with that you wouldn't have survived to tell, most likely.

You wiped your face from the grass that had attacked and before the other could even think of approaching you quickly extended the left gun still anchored to your side against her.

"I don't want to shoot you." You sighed as your state of concentration returned to take possession of your limbs but without estranging you from the world. "And I'm not going to hurt Thor."

The hazel eyes of the woman in front of you sharpened as her sword as she peered at you.

"Do you really want me to believe it while you point a weapon at me?"

A deafening roar shattered the game of glances.

Not far from where you stood, Iron Man had just crashed creating a deep, steaming crater as Thor slowly advanced towards him, tired and worn out. You were about to run in Anthony's direction again when a movement in the corner of your eye diverted your attention.

The blade of the sword came so close to your face that you imagined hearing the hiss of the blade directly in your ear. But before she could make contact with your shoulder, War Machine swooped down on the woman like a missile and carried her away with it. Thor's friend planted herself on the ground putting pressure on her legs as she supported James's armor, preventing her from landing her or making her fly away with him.

You didn't know who she was but she was definitely as strong as that God. Rhodey certainly couldn't do it alone.

You started to move forward again when the sensation of something pressed against your throat made you stop in place.

You hadn't experienced such indulgences. Most of those who challenged you deliberately wanted to kill you, they certainly weren't playing with their prey, yet the threat of a knife was something that managed to send a shiver of terror up your spine.

Unreasonably, you thought that a quick gunshot might have frightened you less.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The warning growl was almost whispered in your ear, sharp as the woman's sword. Although you tried to turn your eyes in several directions, you couldn't see anything of the attacker who had approached you.

“Hitting from behind. You are very original, dude." You hissed in annoyance, trying to get some reaction. A hand slid down your arm until he reached your hand and forced it to open your fingers around the gun. You heard him take your weapon after a little resistance and take it away from you.

"Everyone has its own tricks, I guess." Still, you let your gaze wander over Anthony, who, still lying in his hole, seemed to be arguing with a rather reasonable Thor now. The blade of the knife absently brushed your neck and you jerked your head back, colliding with something hard. Probably another armor.

Accursed Asgardians.

"Watch out. If you want to cut my throat I suggest you to do it in the next few seconds."

You watched Tony get to his feet and let the mask slip inside the armor as he confronted Thor. Were they seriously going to argue while James and you were in a precarious situation?

And as if they had just read your mind, or probably due to your irritated gaze, the heads of the two turned in your direction. You could perfectly tell from that distance how Stark's gaze was surprised and he filled with deep concern before his mask could return to his place.

The armor glided quickly towards you but stopped a few steps away, aiming the laser palms at the figure that threatened you from behind. The bright yellow pulsed with life before your eyes, silently threatening as it charged the firepower.

"Let her go! Now!" Stark's voice was categorical.

"Threatening me while holding your mate's life in my hand is a dangerous game to play, Stark." The other's voice, on the other hand, dripped with sarcasm and hatred. The blade was pressed hard against you, forcing you to rest your head against the body of your captor. You clenched your hands in two fists, disappointed by how you let yourself be captured.

Thor's figure landed next to Stark as he held out his hands in front of him, as if he were trying to calm a rabid dog. “Let her go, Loki. You're not making it easier for me."

Your eyes widened at the name. The breath in your lungs froze, as if it had become saturated with smoke.

Just like then...

"It seems clear that they don't want to hear reasons, brother."

"Yes, you are definitely scoring points by holding someone hostage, Bambi." Stark retorted, activating the sensors that hissed menacingly.

You felt your mind wander in your memory, awakening buried memories from their sleep. The unmistakable smell of blood and rubble replaced the soft one of wet earth leaving you dizzy and sick. The voices around you seemed so blurry at that moment that being isolated made you dizzy and bile go up your throat.

The legs gave way under your weight, not doing their duty, and when your knees hit the ground all the contents in your stomach were poured to Tony's iron feet.

Loki, who had retracted the blades as soon as he felt you faint, snorted in sadistic amusement.

Iron Man's hand rested heavily on your back as if to comfort you as tears began to rise in your eyes. Then, before you could get to your feet, your vision darkened and you fell into a deep sleep.

💥

The awakening was not as smooth as expected. The dazzling light coming in through an open window made it difficult for you to fully open your eyes.

You complained, bringing an arm to cover the view.

You were certain that your room had no window that stretched out in front of your bed. You started to turn on your side but a squeeze forced you to give up, bringing you to lying on your back.

"Take it easy, tiger." Tony's voice came clear to your ears making you sigh with relief. At that moment you didn't want anyone else to watch over you and see you in those pathetic conditions.

"How do you feel?" He asked after helping you settle down better with the pillow behind your head. When you tried to remember the events that had led you there, a strong throb in the temples made you moan in pain.

"Like shit. I have a beastly headache." You turned out to be outspoken. Lying to Anthony had no advantage.

"Could you close that damn window?" You asked immediately after the new attempt to raise your eyes and look at your interlocutor when the light filtered through and brutally blinded you. Tony didn't answer, he simply got up from the chair he was probably sitting on which he shuffled to the ground, and walked over to one of the curtains pulling it halfway and dropping the room into semi-darkness.

Your eyelids blinked a few seconds before stabilizing. You watched the figure of Tony return to his place, a contrite but curious expression in his dated features. The memory of a strong blow to your shoulder sent a shiver down your spine but when you brought your free hand to feel the injured area it seemed completely healthy.

You frowned, still trying to remember and Thor's face showed up in your mind. Subsequent events came accordingly.

Let your back relax against the surface of the mattress while still visibly stiff, staring at the ceiling wall.

"Where is Thor?" Your hands, under the blanket, clenched convulsively. "Where is _that_?"

Loki. You distinctly remembered his blade still resting on your throat, making it clear what a great threat he posed to you, to your friends, to your family. And his voice full of hate.

You have never seen the God live. After the events in New York all the news broadcasts talked about the event for more than a month, circulating images and videos that filmed being on various occasions.

The sound of the bed's keyboard against the wall brought you to your senses. Stark looked at you with a tense look as he clung to the blankets that covered you with both hands. He only wore that expression when you couldn't keep control of your powers. For some absurd reason he still managed to hurt you.

"I'm sorry." You muttered, letting that unbearable heat in the center of your chest evaporate, taking away that trace of pent-up anger. Tony nodded, convinced of your current state, and came back with his back against the chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Loki is under supervision." Those words brought you a sense of fulfillment that you didn't think necessary at all.

"However, he will be released very soon." And as it had come, the good feeling slipped away leaving you empty.

You forced your physique to help you, allowing you to sit back and look your mentor in the eye. There was no trace of games or jokes of any kind, he was telling the truth.

Your jaw clenched in a spasm, making your teeth clash too hard for your good.

"Released? That bastard killed millions of people!"

"I don't need you to remind me!"

The man's shot took you by surprise. His shoulders were hunched and taut as his hands clenched in fists on his thighs cleared up extreme discomfort. He hadn't even met your eyes as he said it.

You regret putting that fact in his face. Tony kept damning himself for not being able to protect everyone.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark." You brought a hand to your hair, taking thick locks between your fingers. "He killed my colleagues ... my friends ..."

Your friend's outstretched hand flashed before your eyes, leaving you exhausted by all that information. Anthony's hand landed on your shoulder, understanding this time, and he squeezed it just to let you know he was really there to comfort you.

“I understand how you feel. Thor told me what happened since that event ... "

"I remember a fight. I remember a dull ache in the shoulder. What did you give me to heal so quickly?"

You couldn't figure out where that question had come from. It just felt like something that kept pushing buttons in your mind as Tony kept touching the injured spot to no avail.

His grip strengthened a little more, preparing you for his next words. "He healed you."

Your eyes, which had gone away, returned to scan your companion's face. "What?"

"After you passed out, Friday found physical damage. Loki used his magic to help with your recovery."

You were confused and in pain. Had Tony seriously allowed that monster to visit you, probably touch you? What could Thor have said to him to convince him that Loki was worthy of trust after all the havoc he had wreaked upon them?

You bit your cheek as you angrily pulled his hand away from your shoulder. You pressed on the mattress to slide off the sheets and when your feet hit the ground, the chill of the floor was completely ignored. You were suddenly numb, even to the words Tony kept repeating in your ears.

"Anthony, don't touch me." Your order came out shaky and uncertain but still had the desired effect with the man raising his hands in surrender. Regardless that you were walking into a dilapidated house without shoes or socks, you advanced towards the doors intent on throwing them all open as you passed. You didn't count how long it took you to leave the house, but when the fresh air and the smell of the sea hit your nostrils, you felt relieved.

There, a few meters away, waving his arms was Thor. Two men seemed to indulge his ranting as they proceeded to tighten a pair of handcuffs on a tall man with long black hair.

He had his back to you but that figure was impossible to forget. The suit wasn't the same but the silhouette could very little diversify.

You took a step on the wet earth ready to quickly leap forward when a drop of water fell in front of you, breaking your confused state.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and as you lifted your face to the charged dark sky, the drops began to rise and wet your face. Your eyes focused on the intense color of the clouds and you mentally thanked the sky for making you become aware of yourself again. You felt the black suit begin to absorb the rainwater, adhering annoyingly to your body, while the rain brushed away the last moments of madness.

"The rancor is more than right."

You didn't even need to turn around to hear Tony's searching eyes behind the iron mask. Obviously he had started biased.

"But he will consume you, as he consumed me long ago."

When you opened your mouth, the sound came out croaking and sobbing.

“And what should I do? Forget?" You asked, letting the tears fall from your face along with the rain.

“Nobody is forgetting, Outburst. He will be taken into custody and asked questions. He agreed to help."

You didn't know what exactly Stark was asking of you but for some reason, the fact that he still viewed the God as a potential enemy cheered you up. You stared back in front of you as you watched the guards drag Loki by the handcuffs into the Quinjet and disappear from your sight.

You focused on Thor, who had a tired frown on his face and after feeling your eyes on him he turned to look at you. You raised a hand to greet him and you were about to run to the God of Thunder that you had not seen for more than 4 years when he shook his head, also entering the jet.

Confused, you lowered your arm to one side again, asking Anthony an indirect question.

"Give him some time, girl. Seeing the brother who spends more time in chains than free doesn't have to be a pleasure walk." explained the genius.

Your head wandered a little longer on the grass that by now had dirty your bare feet and then landed again on the plane that was slowly gaining altitude.

Loki would be subjected to questioning. There was still a way to make him pay. You wouldn't have allowed your rancor to abandon you, not yet.


	2. Redemption Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki is analyzed and entrusted to the poor recruits of the Avengers.

* * *

Watching Loki get interrogated by a small tabloid didn't bring you the slightest satisfaction.

The God was far, too far from you and your anger and Stark wouldn't let you get close to him even in your wildest dreams.

The pompous air that he emanated even though he was in an uncomfortable situation made you nervous.

In his station, sitting comfortably in a chair (you were sure you wouldn't even offer him one if it was up to you), he had his arms crossed over his chest as far as the handcuffs allowed and an amused smile perpetually printed on his fine lips.

Rhodey seemed to have picked up your restless and feverish aura, so much so that he had moved far enough away to be able to see the tablet screen from afar.

"Are you aware that your every move will be monitored?" One of the men on the council wisely asked.

The Secretary had been very clear. The board wanted to be aware of as many details as possible. After discovering that Thor had also brought Loki with him to earth, it was very close to the execution declaration.

"Obviously." He sanctioned, sarcastically, showing the man in front of him the track bracelet that shone on his thin wrist.

"And that you will be under close surveillance by the Avengers?"

Loki raised his green eyes to the camera, almost looking through it. "Under those who remain."

The interrogator seemed to overlook the Asgardian's dig, as though used to being constantly irritated in every possible way. "Mr. Anthony Stark has joined your management. You will respond directly to him and every month a board member will come here to review your progress."

He closed the register after writing down the last indications, receiving a dubious look from Loki.

"Excuse me, _progress_?" He didn't seem happy at all.

The assistant adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, not intimidated by the disturbed imposition of the prisoner and explained carefully. "A rehabilitation project has been approved by the council. A daily schedule will be proposed to you each week and reports will be extracted. Your progress will be evaluated and managed by an impartial person at the end of the month."

The eyes of the God sent so many threatening sparks that you wondered how the man inside the room had remained so impassive. Not even touched by Loki's wrath.

It was clear that the idea didn't excite him in the least. In all likelihood, with the enormous ego that you were able to verify in the interrogation, he would never have wanted to stoop to doing anything that the world population was imposing on him.

"He doesn't seem very convinced." you sanctified, when Stark entered the room where you and James were staying. Iron Man wore a mask of tranquility and nonchalance instead of the iron one, and walked over to the coffee machine with a piece of waffle in his fingers.

"You will see." He began, pressing a couple of buttons on the appliance. "He will soon get used to the condition."

You weren't very convinced of that. Loki wasn't exactly the kind of person or being who was easily persuaded to do acts of humanity.

"And did the rehabilitation plan foresee?" James asks, curious about the projects that were intervening in the monotony that had become more harmful every day.

Tony grabbed his coffee, indifferent to the heat, and swallowed a nice drop before answering his friend.

"I imagine taking care of the gardens, taking pictures with some children, helping to clean up the city." He shrugged.

You laughed. "For some reason the idea of seeing him go around with a sack of unsorted waste and a stick to collect makes me happy for the day."

You watched, turning off the tablet as the God was dragged out of a more serene Thor than he had been once the interrogation began. Your eyes fell on the figure of Tony who approached you, offering you a cup of coffee and thanking him in silence while you grabbed the object with both hands. For some reason your hands were frozen and the contact with the hot ceramic brought you a lot of relief.

"Considering the absence of the rest of the Avengers, surveillance is up to you." You didn't raise your head to show Stark your disappointment. The dark color of the drink seemed to appeal to you much more.

“If Thor is right, he won't try anything. But if he does… well, you know what to do besides calling me." He concluded when the doors to the hall opened with a distinct clatter.

The eyes of the whole room flew in the same direction also containing the same emotion. For some reason, your body stood up reactively, as if your sixth sense were telling you that sitting comfortably in a room with a dangerous serial killer wouldn't do any good.

"I honestly expected a different welcome." His voice was exactly as you remembered it, as sharp and poisonous as his person. Tony had already warned you. Loki loved to play with people's emotions, if you had let that man influence you then you wouldn't have been able to handle him in any way. Losing patience was not a possibility.

The god's head wandered around the room like a captive animal, making sure there were no threats beyond the attendants that accompanied him.

"I'm sure this is the best treatment you deserve." Your irritation was no less sharp than his sarcasm.

For the first time, his blue-green eyes focused on you and you watched as the confusion solidified into a clear realization. You have never been given the chance to observe Loki so closely. He was tall, much taller than you.

Although his figure was not as trained and strong as Thor's, something told you that his abilities could almost equal those of his brother. The fact that he could use some sort of magic and that he was potentially skilled with sidearms made it your complete opposite. It was his sensitivity and his agility that had taken you by surprise. Your brute strength could have done very little in those precarious conditions.

This managed to get you mad.

In case he wanted to oppose you during your surveillance, would you have been able to hold him back long enough to use Tony or Thor's help? You knew too little about him to draw any conclusions, but Stark was trusting you. He would never have entrusted you with a difficult task dictated only by the trust he dripped in the God of Thunder.

Tony Stark was many things but he certainly wouldn't have sacrificed lives just to do a friend's favor.

"Well,well. The little girl has fangs when she's not under close threat." He retorted, rattling the cuffs and stepping forward as you stepped back in response. Your common sense told you not to tease the sleeping dog too much but his existence seemed like it clashed with yours. You couldn't and wouldn't let the God of Lies prevail over you.

You haven't survived an explosion to be manipulated by a confident alien.

"I could beat your dry ass in a matter of minutes in a fair fight." And you grinned maliciously, playing. "But I guess you don't even know what fair is."

Your comment didn't seem to scratch even remotely the armor of pomp of Loki who after a few seconds let his smile all teeth come out.

"Keep filling your mortal mind with convictions."

Before you could intervene, Tony's shoulder hit yours, making you desist. The man, although shorter than Loki, exerted enough force on the handcuffs to jolt the other. The God's eyes instantly passed over the iron man showing all his hatred.

Thor watched silently, shifting his weight from foot to foot, certain that whatever was happening to Loki he had been looking for earlier.

“Let's make it clear, Reindeer Games. You should thank your brother and these guys for letting you have a second chance." Confident the God wasn't listening to him after he rolled his eyes in response, he gave it another yank and lowered him to his level. "But if you do anything to harm any of them you will face it again with me."

Certain that he had pushed the right keys and also the most dangerous ones, he let go the raven, so that he could rise again and look at him from top to bottom.

"Very clear, Mr. Stark." His tone seemed made to please even if extremely false.

When Tony returned to his own interests the room fell into a dead silence, as if the first to speak would have to pay penance.

Thor looked at Loki meaningfully, decreeing in one glance everything he wanted to convey to his brother. You couldn't understand what kind of relationship those two could have after the continuous betrayals of the youngest brother.

Thor finally turned his one clear eye on you, surprising you with his genuineness and humanity as he opened his face in a sincere smile.

"Lady Nova, I'm happy to see you again after a long time." He declared in his low, warm tone of voice. You blush at the epithet used by the God, already remembering how many times previously he had called you that way. 

You brought a hand to your hair, torturing the ends in a gesture of nervousness and returned the smile to your old friend.

"Also for me it's a real balm to see you, Thor." You analyzed him better. His face was more tired and suffering than he had been years ago. You knew that Asgardians aged much slower than humans, but you were sorry to see him physically tested.

"What did you do to the eye?" You asked immediately afterwards, how to find an excuse for your steady peering. The thunder god seemed to perk up at that question as he ran two fingers over the dark bandage.

“Oh, this? A small sacrifice for the defeat of the Goddess of Death. " He boasted, flaunting himself in all his might. You laughed at his usual tone but then put his big hand on his brother's shoulder, who by staying on the sidelines of him was slowly closing in on his own world. "But obviously I couldn't have done it without Loki's help."

Once again brought into question, the God of Mischief seemed somewhat disturbed. He almost seemed to want to make him more bearable in your eyes.

Before you could dare to show your disbelief, James stepped in for you, approaching behind you. He had a curious but highly doubtful expression towards the two super aliens. You kept thinking that Tony had a lot of influence on him but you would never have dared say a thing like that in front of Rhodey. He would surely have thrown something unhealthy in your morning coffee.

“It certainly cheers us up, Thor. This will make the redemption plan easier and smoother."

Plan of redemption. You didn't think that _monster_ could ever redeem himself in any way.

You rolled your eyes, as if to make your doubts clear, and brought your arms to your chest.

"While Thor and I focus on some important points, you can explain the program to the big boy." Before you could object to that decision, the log your colleague was holding previously was cleverly tucked into your folded arms, forcing you to hold it to keep it from falling to the ground.

"Rhodey!" You called to him as he stretched his arm around Thor's shoulders and dragged him out of the room. Follow the two with the hardest gaze you could find and then place it on the black register full of papers. You didn't even get to review your plans, your commitments of the day.

Could Stark agree to get you started? Wasn't your clear hatred and murderous intent towards God clear enough?

A slight tinkle behind you reminded you of one of your new commitments.

"I guess introductions are a must." Loki seemed all too comfortable with the cuffs on his wrists, as if he had worn them for most of his life. His stoicism didn't drop one iota. With a lump in your throat, you let the documents slip on the table and then you turned to look at the smug face of the Asgardian.

You muttered your name, fixing your eyes on a strange spinning of his suit, as if you wanted him not to hear you at all.

However, the hearing of a God was much better than the average of human beings and he was able to perfectly understand your words. He repeated your name voluptuously, sending a shiver down your spine.

“Don't say it that way. You will turn to me as _agent_." You filmed him, while he giggled amused by the reaction he had provoked in you.

"Don't like your name?" He asked as he screeched a chair against the ground and then sat down. You wondered why he felt so confident in front of you that he elevated himself to a more disadvantageous position. It almost seemed to make fun of you for your reactivity to stand up as soon as he had set foot inside the room.

"I don't like it if you say it." You growled, feeling hopelessly irritated. In order not to give him victory, you also grabbed the chair in front of you and sat down with fury, making the furniture moan.

You opened the register, carefully reading the directives imposed by the war council and signed by the secretary. The reading was certainly not pleasant as a pair of eyes pierced you as if to attract your attention again.

"Could you stop staring at me?" You asked politely, trying to stop that strange feeling.

"I apologize. I was analyzing what kind of creature you were."

You frowned. "I'm a human being, I'm sorry to disappoint you."

You kept reading the information, acquiring a lot of it in the shortest time possible. You wanted to throw Loki into some activity so that he could focus solely on that.

"A human being, yes. But different in some way, isn't it?"

You snorted.

"Very similar to Steve Rogers. By the way, where is the super soldier? I haven't received his welcome." Loki's body backed up against the back of the chair, as if enjoying the mass of nerves that was slowly unfolding in front of him.

Your fingers tingled with that mysterious power that you still knew so little about, as if asking to be released as soon as possible to the source of your impatience.

"Do you enjoy pissing people off?" You asked, lightly slamming your palm against the surface of the table you were studying to block that flow and aiming your eyes at the lighter ones of the God.

Loki lowered the first of him onto your hand then back to you, the wry smile as stapled on his smug face.

"Only if the reactions I get are like yours, Lady Nova." He teased the prefix Thor used earlier, giving you a nervous tic in your eye. You were aware of her playing with emotions but that only made you even more angry. He was damn good at hitting the right buttons. Not that it was difficult with you. Even the breathing of God made you restless and disturbed.

You closed your eyes, preventing the green and amused ones of him from only causing you more discomfort.

"I guess then I just have to ignore you, right?" You sighed, tired.

"It will be fun to see you try. I'm not exactly someone who can be ignored."

_You'll see, asshole_ you thought without addressing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't realize how complicated it was to write about Loki's character.  
> He has taken on so many personalities in the movies that it confused me at the moment of writing.  
> In my head I have a clear vision of the God of Mischief but something prevents me from carrying it on paper.  
> Well, at least I hope you enjoy the story anyway.


End file.
